Finding a Voice
by EmilyJade4499
Summary: When a girl is found and no one knows who she is, the BAU is called in to get to the bottom of it. After gaining a sliver of trust from the girl, can Emily Prentiss get her to talk? Or will it be too late? Will the girl's captor strike again? *Possible mentions of abuse* *Strong language*
1. The Girl

**A/N: Hey, guys! As promised, I'm starting my new fic! I hope you guys like it. XOXO EmilyJade4499**

"John? Don't you think we should stop and ask directions?" Jamie Sanders asked, staring out the window, watching the black pavement twist ahead of them.

"Jamie, come on! I can do this. I know it's just up a little farther." Johnathon Sanders replied, his grip on the wheel tightening. "Besides, Jay, where do you propose we stop to ask?" The tired man gestured to the wilderness around them. They had turned onto the single lane road a few miles back, looking for their hotel. Their son was asleep in the back, snoring quietly.

"John!" the woman screamed, seeing a figure in the road ahead. Their car screeched to a stop, inches from a girl standing hunched in the road. She wore a light brown dress, which showed lighter patches. It was obvious that it had originally been white, but stained repeatedly to it's now repulsive color. Her brown hair hung, stringy, to her shoulders where it was abruptly chopped off. The girl was dirty, clearly unbathed for quite some time. Rope kept her wrists together as she staggered towards them. Jamie Sanders let out an earsplitting shriek, clinging to her husband.

* * *

"Briefing Room in 5 everyone!" Hotch called over the bullpen, walking quickly around the room. Derek Morgan relaxed back in his chair, looking around at his teammates. Jennifer Jureau sat on the edge of one Emily Prentiss' desk chatting lightly with the woman. Spencer Reid remained hunched over his paperwork.

"We'd better go..." JJ sighed, standing from her perch and starting across the bullpen to the briefing room. Prentiss, Morgan, and Reid followed close behind, quickly putting away any work out on their desks.

"Hello, my favorite crime fighting trio!" Penelope Garcia chirped as Prentiss, Morgan, and Reid entered the room. As everyone took their seats, Garcia clicked a button on her remote, pulling up a picture of a girl on the screen.

"This girl was found by Jonathon Sanders and his wife Jamie while looking for the hotel they had booked online. She stumbled out into the road they were driving on. She's been quite uncooperative so far, so we aren't exactly sure who she is. She refuses to speak, and no one can touch her without her screaming. She was found with her hands tied, and they can see evidence of bondage on her ankles, but can't get close enough to see anything else." Garcia announced, as everyone stared at the girl on the screen. Her green eyes were tortured, anyone could see that.

"Garcia, why are we being called in for this? A missing girl's just been turned up." David Rossi spoke up.

"I'm glad you asked, my favorite veteran. There haven't been any missing girls reported in the past 2 years that match her description... Child Protective Services can't place her anywhere... Also, they think she may be connected to these three murders." Garcia clicked her remote again and 3 other faces appeared on the board. Along with the faces were different images of the girls' bodies mangled and tossed carelessly by a water source. All the girls wore the same attire.

"Wheels up in 20." Hotch ordered, sweeping out of the room.

* * *

"Prentiss, JJ, and Reid you three go to the hospital to check out the girl. Rossi, Morgan and I will check where the girl was found. Our first order of business is figuring out if this girl is connected." Hotch commanded, stepping off of their plane.

The team split into their 2 groups, and piled into their SUV's.

"You know, approximately 400,000 children a year _disappear_ each year, and that's only one's who are exploited for sex." Reid rambled from the backseat, coaxing a chuckle from Prentiss who was behind the wheel.

* * *

"She looks so... I don't know..." JJ murmured, standing in the doorway of the unknown girl's hospital room. Prentiss and Reid flanked her, agreeing that JJ would most likely be the best person to approach the girl first. The girl hadn't noticed them yet, as she was standing by the window gazing out. JJ knocked gently, drawing her attention. The girl gasped, backing against the wall.

"Hey, sweetie. My name is Jennifer, and I work for the FBI. May I come in?" JJ spoke soothingly, trying not to frighten the girl. The girl stood in place, her eyes fixed on the agents in the doorway. JJ held her hands out to show the girl she had nothing before moving slowly to a chair inside the room. Prentiss and Reid stayed in the doorway.

"Why don't you sit down? You must be tired..." JJ patted the hospital bed with her hand, trying to coax the girl; however, the girl wasn't listening to JJ. She was staring at Reid and Prentiss.

"This is Spencer Reid. He works with me. He's a really nice guy, I think you'd like him. You just have to learn to ignore a lot of what he says." JJ laughed lightly as Reid sat in one of the two remaining chairs. "And that, is Ms. Emily Prentiss. Don't worry, though. She looks a lot meaner than she is." Emily made a face at JJ before moving swiftly to sit on JJ's other side in the last remaining seat. The girl stared at them, still not moving.

"You look thirsty." JJ said, standing up and slowly approaching the girl with a water bottle outstretched. The girl backed away from JJ, backing herself into the corner of the room.

"It's okay..." JJ whispered, holding the water as far out as she could to the girl. The girl whimpered, sliding down into a sitting position. Her eyes widened in fear the closer JJ came.

"Jayje..." Prentiss warned, anticipating what was going to happen. The girl struck out at JJ, making contact with her forearm. The girl ran past JJ to the other wall, backing against it.

"Okay... it's okay. I'm just going to sit back down. That's all..." JJ cooed, sliding past the girl and back into her seat. The girl eyed all of them wearily, but her eyes always paused on Prentiss. JJ nudged her brunette friend.

"Why don't you take a seat? We won't come any closer." Prentiss stated, scooting her chair back from the bed a few feet. JJ and Reid followed suit. The girl locked eyes with Prentiss, but went nowhere. She slowly slid down the wall, pulling her knees to her. They all sat in silence for what seemed like a lifetime...

**A/N: Oh look at that lonely review button...**


	2. The Mark

**A/N: Hi! Here's another update for you guys! Thanks sooo much for your reviews! I read all of them, and getting reviews really encourages me to write more! If you guys like my writing, I'm cowriting with AllyJ39 on a fic called Criminal Minds: Crime and Punishment. You should check it out, as well as her fics!**

Prentiss slowly sits on the floor, roughly 10 ft from the girl. The girl eyes Prentiss wearily.

"I don't bite." Prentiss promised, sliding closer to the girl. She stopped a few feet from the girl, noticing she was trembling. Prentiss sat there quietly, letting the girl adapt to her presence. Prentiss studied the girl, just as the girl studied Prentiss. The girl was pale and very thin, looking to literally be skin and bones. Her green eyes were dark - yet clear - as Prentiss felt them travelling over her own body. Black flakes disturbed the forest of green, giving her eyes depth like Prentiss had never encountered. Her brown hair was dark, cascading to her shoulders where it severely ended. The girl had showered and changed out of her soiled dress from the picture in the the briefing room.

"You're a very pretty girl... After you get healthier, you'll be absolutely stunning. The boys will be all over you." Prentiss teased, moving a few inches closer. She leaned against the foot of the hospital bed, gauging the girl's reaction. She didn't react, focusing on something. Focusing on Prentiss. The girl locked her eyes onto Prentiss' and inched closer to the agent. Prentiss held perfectly still, not wanting to frighten the girl. Unable to control it, Prentiss stiffened when she felt the girl's fingers on her collarbone. The girl withdrew quickly, backing as far away as she could.

"It's okay. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry... You just startled me. That's all." Prentiss soothed, moving her hair back to give the girl the opportunity to do so again. On her hands and knees, the girl crawled slowly to Prentiss. Their eyes never left each others until the girl's fingers returned to Prentiss' collar. The girl looked at her hand and inched Prentiss' shirt a few inches to the side. The girl drew back, seeing what she though she'd caught a glimpse of earlier: a four leaf clover.

"What's wrong? Did I do something?" Prentiss stuttered. The girl was shaking violently, her eyes wide with fright. Slowly, the young girl tugged at her hospital gown, revealing a matching mark. Prentiss fell silent, realizing what the girl had seen.

"I'm so sorry..." Prentiss whispered to the girl, trying to wrap her head around this.

"Emily?" JJ called, walking in the room with Reid.

"Yes?" Prentiss gave the girl one last look before standing and leading JJ and Reid out the door.

"They think she's around 14 or 15, Em." JJ informed her.

"That's it? Only 15?! She's got to be at least 17!" Prentiss stammered.

"I'm only relaying what they said. They also think the reason she won't talk is because she's not from here. Which would also explain why there aren't any US missing children that match her." JJ continued.

"No... she knows what we're saying..." Prentiss said, her thoughts going back to when she calmed the girl after Prentiss had moved and scared her. "I can't explain how I know... I just do."

"Have you gotten anything?" Hotch asked, walking up with Morgan and Rossi.

"They think she's around 14 or 15 and that she's not from here and doesn't speak English." Reid recounted, leaning against the wall.

"But, I know she speaks English!" Prentiss protested.

"Has she spoken?" Rossi inquired.

"No." Prentiss sighed. "But, I think she's getting used to my being around her... she's not as jumpy. She even approached me briefly..." Prentiss recounted her time in the girl's room.

"Alright. New plan, then. Prentiss, you'll stay here with the girl. Get her to trust you. That's crucial. Don't leave her under any circumstances. Understand?" Hotch instructed, turning to face the brunette. She nodded.

"JJ, you go with Rossi to the first crime scene of the other 3 girls. I'll go with the local deputy to the second. Morgan, take Reid with you to the third. Get Garcia tracing missing girls internationally with the same traits as the 3 deceased victims. Report back her at midnight." Without another word, they all turned without a word and left. Emily sighed and pulled a book from her go-bag before returning to the room. The girl had relaxed slightly, no longer pressing herself against the wall. She sat in a chair by the window, her arms around her knees, watching the cars pass by outside.

"I'm back." Prentiss murmured, perching on the edge of the bed, merely a few feet from the girl. The girl whirled around, her eyes wide.

"Hey." Prentiss flashed a full smile. "It's just me." The girl relaxed a little, eyeing the book in her hand.

"It's Shakespeare." Prentiss declared, holding the book out for the girl.

"I'll read some of it for you if you'd like..." Prentiss offered, seeing her smile at the book. The girl smiled genuinely for the first time and handed Prentiss the book back. Prentiss moved into the chair beside the bed.

"Why don't you sit here?" The girl crept slowly from her chair onto the edge of the bed. She slid up and stretched her legs out in front of her.

"Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." Prentice began. The girl watched her closely, smiling occasionally.

"Agent Prentice, a word?" a medic stuck his head in the doorway. The girl started to move off of the bed, trying to be as far from him as possible.

"Hey, stay put. I'll be back." Prentiss reassured her. After she was sure that the girl was going to stay on the bed, Prentiss quickly left the room.

"Yes?" Emily inquired.

"Agent, we spoke with Child Services and they informed us that the girl is under your department's judgement. Am I correct in this?" the medic clarified. Prentiss nodded.

"Well, she can't stay here any longer. She won't allow us to provide her with medical assistance, and this is not a hotel." Nodding, Prentiss returned to the girl.

"Hey." the girl simply stared at her.

"So, I need you to listen very closely. I'm never going to hurt you. I'm here to protect you and to put... whoever did this to you... behind bars until they rot." Prentiss began, feeling her anger rise as she thought of what someone must have done to make the girl act this way, "I'm sorry. Anyway, I'm begging you to trust me. I know you were betrayed before by someone you trusted, but I'm not going to. I solemnly swear that I will die protecting you. Except, you have to trust me for me to be able to." the girl pulled her knees up and laid on her side, facing Prentiss. She took this as a good sign.

"I'm going to have to take you back to our hotel. Okay? And to do that, you're going to have to be in a car with me." the girl swallowed visible hard, avoiding Prentiss' eyes.

"We need to go. Okay? My team brought these by earlier." Prentiss laid a ball of clothing on the edge of the bed.

"I'll be right outside. Change, and come on out." The girl waited for Prentiss to leave before carefully pulling on the pair of jeans. She fumbled with the buttons, unable to figure out how they worked. It'd been so long since she'd worn pants, and even longer since she'd had to fasten her own. She gave up and tugged the t-shirt over her head. She was uncomfortable with the v-neckline, noticing it allowed her mark to show.

"Everything okay?" Prentiss knocked. After a moment, she remembered the girl wouldn't be giving her an answer.

"I'm coming in..." she said before pushing the door open. The girl sat on the edge of the bed, fiddling with the buttons of her pants.

"May I?" Prentiss whispered, gesturing to the buttons. The girl backed against the wall before nodding slowly. She closed her eyes as Prentiss approached her.

"Unless you want me to do this for you every day - which I don't mind to do - you might want to watch how to do it." Prentiss reminded gently. The girl opened her eyes slowly, seeing Prentiss slip the buttons through their holes. The girl smiled sheepishly, her hand subconsciously touching where her mark showed from under her shirt.

"Ready?"

**A/N: The review button is feeling neglected... I'm sure it'd appreciate if you clicked!**


	3. A Nightmare

**A/N: Hi! Here's another chapter! I just wanna let you guys know that I got cast to play Sandy from Grease in a show ( like a legit show!) so I probably won't be posting more than once a day. Also, I'm going to be gone for a few days coming up, so I'm gonna post as many chapters the day before as I can. Pace yourselves, grasshoppers. LOVE YOU GUYS! EmilyJade4499**

"Stay close to me, and no one will hurt you." Prentiss reminded the girl as they exited the police station. She inched closer to Prentiss, careful to prevent them from touching. She kept her eyes down, wishing she could just disappear. As Prentiss started down the front steps, she turned just in time to see the girl trip. Prentiss easily caught her, but created a scream from the girl. She looked at Prentiss wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" the girl stepped farther away from Prentiss as she walked down the stairs. Prentiss sighed and walked with the girl.

"Over here, sweetie." Prentiss said quietly, holding open the passenger door of a black SUV. She slipped past Prentiss and sat in the seat. When the door closed, she scooted as close to it as she could. Prentiss slid behind the wheel, quickly driving back to the team's hotel. The two females were quiet the entire way there. Prentiss parked the car and got out, the girl following suit. Prentiss sat in the small hotel's lobby with the girl, reading another book to herself.

"Want me to read to you?" she asked quietly. The girl smiled and moved to sit at Prentiss' feet.

"Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service, Preferment goes by letter and affection, And not by old gradation, where each second stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself,Whether I in any just term am affined, To love the Moor." Prentiss had learned that the girl enjoyed Shakespeare. Pausing, she shot a text to JJ:

_Hey. At Hotel with the girl. Tell Hotch to meet up here instead at the hospital. When you come back, can you bring me a couple of Shakespeare books? I'll pay you back when you get here._

Prentiss smiled at the girl and continued reading.

* * *

"Have you found out anything?" Hotch asked Prentiss. The girl was asleep in Prentiss' room where she was staying while they worked the case.

"Yea. She doesn't know how to button things. She likes Shakespeare." Prentiss responded, resting her head on the back of the couch.

"Anything _relevant_, Prentiss?" Hotch corrected himself. She shook her head. He groaned inwardly, frustrated by the lack of progress on this case.

"Alright, everyone. Get some rest. Prentiss, you have a few more days with her and if we still aren't getting anywhere, I need you back on the field." Prentiss nodded, walking upstairs with JJ.

"I believe you requested these?" JJ smiled, handing Prentiss a bag.

"Thanks, Jay."

* * *

Prentiss lay on the tiny couch in her hotel room, fast asleep. She'd insisted the girl sleep on the bed, claiming she wanted the couch. Prentiss awoke to the sound of the girl mumbling in her sleep, tossing and turning.

"Sweetie, wake up." Prentiss said, stumbling over to the bed. She shook the girl, trying to wake her. She couldn't see the girl very well in the dark.

"Please don't hurt me..." the girl spoke for the first time. She could hear the girl crying. "I'll be good, I promise. Please don't hurt me..."

"I'm not going to hurt you." Prentiss answered, placing a hand cautiously on the girl's shoulder.

"Thank you, sir... I promise I'll stay still." she whimpered.

"Hey, it's me. Emily. Come on, sweetie. Wake up." Prentiss whispered, turning on the lamp. The girl's eyes widened in relief as she began to sob into her knees.

"Shhhhhhh... it's okay." Prentiss tried to soothe the girl. "I'm going to touch you, okay? Don't be afraid." Prentiss carefully wrapped her arm around the tiny sobbing girl. The girl allowed herself to relax into Prentiss, fighting to control herself. Prentiss slipped into bed beside the girl and let her cry. After a while, the girl fell asleep curled up next to Prentiss. Eventually, Prentiss allowed herself to slip into sleep.

* * *

When Prentiss woke, she quickly panicked when she realized the girl wasn't beside her. She looked around frantically, only relaxing when she saw the girl sitting by the window.

"You really love looking out windows, don't you?" Prentiss asked, rubbing her eyes. She hadn't expected an answer, and she got none. Instead, she walked beside the girl and looked out with her.

"Hey, Em?" JJ piped up, her head sticking in the door.

"Oh, hey Jayje. I didn't hear you. Everything okay?" Prentiss leaned against the window frame and glanced down at the girl to make sure she was okay.

"uh, yea. I just wanted to check on you guys. Last night I heard some crying..." JJ explained, moving to sit on the unmade bed.

"Oh, uh... yea. I had a bad dream." Prentice covered for the young girl.

"Emily Prentiss had a bad dream? Since when does that happen?!" JJ laughed, moving to hug the woman. Prentiss carefully moved her back, seeing the girl tense.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." JJ stammered. Prentiss shrugged and slid her arm around the blonde's waist before ushering her out the door.

When she turned around to return to the girl, she saw her holding Romeo and Juliet.

"Allow me." Prentiss offered, pulling a chair up next to the girl and holding her hand out for the book.

"At this same ancient feast of Capulet's, Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest,, With all the admired beauties of Verona: Go thither; and, with unattainted eye, Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow." Prentiss read aloud. She paused, seeing the girl's fingers on the corner of the page. Prentiss looked up and raised an eyebrow in question. Her finger hovered over a single word on the page.

_Rosaline_.

**A/N: Ooooh, look at that pretty review button! I wonder what happens when you click it... only one way to find out!**


	4. To Trust or Not To Trust

**A/N: Hi, guys! Just another reminder you should check out AllyJ39's fics and the one we're cowriting! Also, don't forget I'll be gone for a few days so I'm going to try to post the equivalent for one a day before I go. Pace yourselves!**

"You name's Rosaline." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. The girl smiled to herself, relaxing into her chair.

"Rosaline, we need to go tell Hotch. Okay?" Prentiss held her hand out for the girl, but let it drop loosely to her side when the girl didn't accept it. Rosaline trailed behind Prentiss as she walked down stairs to the lobby. Morgan looked up from the papers the entire team was hunched over and smiled.

"Hey, princess." he called, drawing everyone's attention to them.

"So, guys. There's someone I'd like you to meet." Prentiss smiled and looked beside her. Rosaline had stopped a few feet back, uncomfortable being so close to the rest of the team.

"Come on. Just next to me. They won't bite." Prentiss instructed quietly, waiting while the girl timidly inched up beside her.

"This is Rosaline. Rosaline, you've met JJ and Reid. This is Derek Morgan. He's got a big ego and likes to think that ladies are all over him. Just go with it." Emily winked at the girl, showing her she was poking fun at him. "This is David Rossi. And that is Aaron Hotchner. We call him Hotch. He's pretty cool, once you get to know him. But don't hope for a smile. It's quite a rarity." Prentiss smiled at her team as they greeted the young girl.

"How's my raven haired beauty?" Garcia crowed, walking in the door with her suitcase. Prentiss laughed, momentarily forgetting about Rosaline.

"Hey, Pen." Prentiss let the woman hug her, then went to look at the file spread out on the table. Prentiss snapped upright when she heard Rosaline whimper. Garcia had tried to hug her and she'd backed herself against the wall.

"Pen. Stop. She doesn't handle physical contact well." Prentiss snapped, swiftly stepping between Garcia and the scared girl.

"I... I'm so sorry... no one told me..." Garcia stammered. Prentiss tugged her over to the table and they set to work on their profile. Garcia spent her time trying to figure out who Rosaline was, but turned up no results. The girl sat against the wall, closing her eyes and drifting to sleep. Hearing Prentiss' voice in her sleep calmed her. She was beginning to trust the woman. She'd known there was something about her as soon as she saw her. She'd thought it was just her intimidating appearence; yet, when Prentiss stepped between her and the blonde woman she'd realized it wasn't her intimidating demeanor - it was the sense of protectiveness that came with her. Thinking back, she'd seen Prentiss tense up when she struck at JJ. She realized that she always knew she could trust Emily Prentiss, she just hadn't realized that she had realized it. Her thoughts drifted into a dream.

"Emily!" the girl whimpered in her sleep. Prentiss rose immediately without a word and knelt beside Rosaline.

"Rosaline. Sweetie, wake up." Prentiss shook her gently. The girl squinted in her sleep, shuddering. Prentice shook her harder and the young girl's eyes flashed open. Her eyes were wide with fright as she stared at Prentiss' hands on her knee and shoulder. Prentiss withdrew quickly as silent tears slid down Rosaline's face. When she pulled back, Rosaline cried harder. Cautiously, Prentiss wrapped her arms around her and helped her stand.

"Uhm, I'm gonna go upstairs with her for a while. That okay?" Prentiss turned to her team. They all nodded, frowning at the crying girl. Prentiss all but carried Rosaline upstairs as her body shook with sobs.

"Why don't you take a shower, honey? It'll make you feel better." Prentiss lead Rosaline into the bathroom and turned the water on for her. Going back to the main room, Prentiss took out her phone and texted JJ:

_"I think she's starting to trust me..." _She laid on the bed with one of the books JJ had brought them and waited for Rosaline. When the girl appeared in the doorway to the bathroom with her wet hair soaking her shoulders, Prentiss laughed.

"Rosaline, may I do your hair?" Prentiss asked the girl. Rosaline retrieved the brush and her hair tie from the bathroom and sat on the floor beside the bed. Rosaline held the open book in her lap and Prentiss read while untangling her hair.

"Isn't this sweet?"Morgan commented, walking through the door and sitting in one of the chairs by the window. Rosaline began to stand - trying to separate herself from Morgan - but Prentiss' hand on her shoulder kept her there.

"It's okay." Prentiss' reassured her. "Morgan, why don't you read to us for a bit?" Rosaline sat the book on the floor and slid it over where it hit Morgan's foot.

"Fie, fie? Unknit thy threatening unkind...brow, and dart not scornful... glances from those eyes...to wound thy...lord...thy governor..." Morgan stammered, causing the two females to break out in laughter.

* * *

Rosaline sat patiently as Prentiss finished her hair. She'd braided her hair on the side of her head back and wrapped the ends into a braided bun on the back of her head. Taking a flower from the vase on the desk, Prentiss placed it carefully into the side of her bun.

"Bellissima, Bella." Prentiss said, the Italian rolling easily off her tongue. Rosaline reached up to carefully touch the back of her hair. A smile spread across her face as she went to the mirror to look. Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.

_I look... nice. I...wow... I didn't... damn. I'm... I'm beautiful..._ Rosaline thought to herself. Her hair combined with the black v-neck she was wearing and her tight flare jeans gave her a beauty she'd never had. She hugged Prentiss, stepping away quickly.

"Come on, girly. Why don't we go grab something to eat and maybe go shopping?" Emily asked the girl. Rosaline shook her head no and sat by the window.

"You've got to eat..." Prentiss persisted.

**A/N: So I heard it through the grapevine that the little review button has a crush on somebody... YOU! Show some love!**


	5. How Do You Do That?

Rosaline sat in a booth across from Prentiss. Her untouched burger sat in front of her while she watched Prentiss devour hers hungrily.

"How do you do that? You eat so much, but you're so tiny." Rosaline commented. Prentiss stared at her, mouth agape. She'd been about to take a bite, but she simply stared.

"...sorry" Rosaline mumbled and slid down in her seat. Her face was candy apple with blush.

"It's part of the job... chasing psychos keeps me in fairly decent physical shape." Prentiss replied, regaining her composure. Rosaline was silent and Prentiss kicked herself internally.

"I'm sorry I stared at you... I shouldn't have." Prentiss apologized.

"It's okay. You didn't do anything. I shouldn't have said anything." Rosaline assured her.

"It's nice to hear you talk." Prentiss commented, pushing Rosaline's plate closer to her. "You need to eat, Rosaline."

"You can call me Rose if you'd like... everyone always did."

"Rose... that's a pretty name. It suits you." Prentiss smiled, taking another bite of her burger. Rose pulled a piece of her bun off and raised it to her mouth. She wasn't all that hungry, but she knew Prentiss would be concerned until she ate.

* * *

Prentiss sat in bed with Rose sitting beside her. Rose turned over one of their many books in her hands.

"How old are you, Rose?" Prentiss asked, turning on her side to face the girl.

"I... I'm not really sure. I think I'm 15... What's today's date?" Rose rambled.

"It's the 14th of June. 2013."

"Oh... then yea. I'm 15." Rose declared.

"How long have you been missing?" Prentiss wondered aloud.

"I was never missing... someone always knew where I was. I didn't always like who that person was, but someone always knew." Rose corrected.

"Oh. Well, how long has it been since you left your family?"

"I never really had a family." Rose smiled "But I know what you're getting at. It was 7 years ago. I was 8. I had gone to school and I was sick and it was winter and a man asked me if I wanted a ride and I accepted. It was my fault."

"7 years?!" Prentiss cried. Rose nodded, moving back at the emotion in the brunette's voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Prentice comforted the girl, patting the bed next to her. Rose slid back under the blankets and drew them up around her chin.

"Why don't you read to me for once? I could use a bedtime story." Prentiss teased, handing her a book.

"Perhaps, when we remember wars, we should take off our clothes and paint ourselves blue and go on all fours all day long and grunt like pigs. That would surely be more appropriate than noble oratory and shows of flags and well-oiled guns." Rose read slowly. She stumbled on a few words, but made her way through it. Prentiss had handed her her favorite Vonnegut novel, instead of Shakespeare.

"I... I'm sorry..." Rose mumbled, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Shhh. It's okay, sweetie." Prentiss carefully wrapped her arms around the shaking girl and held her tight.

"Emily... will you help me? I... I miss reading..." Rose sobbed into the agent.

"Of course I will. But it's gonna have to wait. We need to go down to the station tomorrow... and I need you to talk to me about those 7 years. It'll just be you and me. I know it's gonna be hard. But I'm gonna be right there. Because we think he's going to take someone else to fill your place, Rose... you don't want that to happen, do you?" Prentiss whispered into the girl's hair.

"Of course I don't!" Rose snapped.

"oh... ohmygod. I'm so sorry, Emily..." Rose apologized, another round of sobs taking over. Prentiss held the girl tighter and smoothed her hair. As Rose began to calm back down, Prentiss hummed a lullaby quietly. Rose temporarily forgot everything, lost in Prentiss' song. The young girl nuzzled into Prentiss' embrace before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"If you want to stop, just let me know. Try to hold out as long as you can, though" Prentiss instructed. They were sitting in a room with nothing but a steel table and 2 steel chairs. Rose sat across from Prentiss, trying to stay calm. The woman rested her hand atop the young girl's.

"What happened the night you escaped?" Rose shuddered at the memory Prentiss' question brought up.

"He came for me. Tied me up. Walked me outside. Kicked me when I stumbled. Then someone yelled at him and he turned around and I ran. I didn't stop until I reached the road." Rose spoke on gasps as tears forced out of her eyes.

"Who is he? Can you tell me what he looked like?"

"I don't know who he is...but... who's your boss? The mean looking one." Rose asked.

"Hotch." Prentiss laughed, hearing her superior snort indignantly into her earpiece

"He kinda looks like him. But...he's got a beard...and glasses...and he's kinda...round..." Rose trailed off, seeing the face ingrained in her mind. Prentiss nodded.

"Do you think I could get some fresh air?" Rose begged.

"Of course." Rose stood and followed Prentiss through the virtually empty office. Prentiss let her sit on the steps while she went to go talk to Hotch.

"Hello, Rosie." The man's voice sent a chill up her spine. She knew that voice. It'd been all she heard for 7 years. And she prayed she was only imaging it... except the hands on her shoulders told her differently...


	6. A Twister

"Prentiss, you take Reid with you to find the girl. Rossi and I will take the house. JJ and Morgan, you two have the outlying sheds and buildings." Hotch instructed into his phone. The two black SUV's pulled up the long dirt drive way, turning their lights off.

"Make it quick, Prentiss. Get the girl and get out. Use your head." Hotch instructed Prentiss as she stepped out of her SUV and started toward the trees at the back of the house. He gestured to the swirling clouds overhead as a gust of wind knocked the woman into her supervisor.

"Sorry..." she murmured, moving away and running towards the forest with Reid hot on her heels. The two agents tore through the trees, continually pushing forward, despite the briers that drug across their face. They split up, staying only close enough to see each other in case of an emergency.

"I hate you, Emily!" Rose screamed at the sky, kicking a rock nearby. She had been bound to a tree after the man disgraced her. She wore her jeans and a tank top he had dressed her in. As the wind whistled around her, she slouched against the tree. She knew she was going to die. That's why she was here. The tornado was going to rip her apart and she was going to be just another soul lost to the tornadoes. She felt tears pool in her eyes and shook her head furiously.

"Emily!" Reid hissed, pointing off to his left. The brunette ran towards him and sighed in relief as she saw the familiar face staring back at her.

"Hey, I'm here. Don't worry." Prentiss soothed, stroking the girl's matted hair back.

"Don't touch me." Rose spat. Prentiss stumbled back in shock, staring as Reid quickly untied the girl. She tried to run the other way, but Prentiss caught her arm.

"No. I lost you once, and it's not happening again!" the agent swore, scooping the light girl up in her arms despite her attempts to break free. Hearing a tree fall in the distance as the wind picked up, the two agents ran in the general direction of the house. Rose gave up fighting and just sobbed into Emily's shoulder. Breaking through the trees into the clearing of the house, Rose screamed as she saw Morgan approach them, blood streaming from a cut on his forehead.

"Just a scratch." he muttered, shoving Prentiss and Reid towards the house's cellar. Rose screamed louder and slammed her fist into Prentiss' arm so hard that she dropped the young girl. Rose tried to run, only to be collected by Morgan and shoved into the cellar after the two agents. The girl's leg collapsed underneath her and she crawled into a corner of the small room, pulling her knees into her chest. She watched as Prentiss pressed a wet rag against Morgan's cut as he protested.

"I'm not going to stop, so you might as well suck it up." Prentiss joked, carefully dabbing at the blood.

"It's just a little scratch, Princess." Morgan shot back.

"Yea? Looks pretty serious. What'd you do?" she replied.

"A window blew out and a piece of glass hit me." Prentiss nodded and continued nursing her colleague. Rose glanced around the room and saw Reid watching her.

"I know what you're feeling, you know..." Reid whispered, almost inaudibly as he moved to sit a few feet away from Rose. This was the closest he had ever been to her and she was visibly uncomfortable.

"No you don't." she replied curtly.

"I do... I mean, I not what this guy did to you...but how you feel about Emily." Reid stammered.

"You don't know how I feel about her."

"I do, actually. I profile people's actions for a living. It's what I do. I see the way you look at her. You're angry because she thinks she knows you, but you don't think she does." Reid spouted off, moving to rest against the wall.

"Yea. I guess. I'm not even mad about that though. I'm just mad at myself." Rose ran a hand through her hair and shivered at the cold.

"You're mad because you think she tricked you." Reid stated casually.

"Yup. You're pretty good at this, you know... But... I'm mad at myself because I know her boss told her to make me trust her. I heard them. And I feel for her games." Rose sighed.

"I don't think it was a game, though... I've worked with Emily for a long time, and I know how she works. She's different this time, though... Usually, she tries to relate herself to her victim... she hasn't done that with you, has she?" Reid asked. Rose shook her head no.

"Exactly... she's kept her personal life completely off limits from you and instead just kinda been there for you... If you ask me, I think she really does like you..." Rose smiled at the boy's words and allowed herself to relax enough to rest her head on his shoulder.

"My husband didn't do this." said a woman Rose hadn't noticed in the corner. She was heavy set, red hair falling down her back. Her beady blue eyes gave her the appearance of an engorged pigeon.

"He couldn't have. He's so kind. And I know he didn't touch anyone inappropriately." the woman continued, glaring over at Rose.

"Why is that?" Reid spoke up.

"He's a very respectable man! He'd never touch a lady! He barely touches me and we've been married for over 10 years!" the woman replied. Rose knew she should keep quiet. She'd encountered women like this before. Women like these thought they were better than everyone, and would stop at nothing to prove it. Rose couldn't help herself though.

"YEAH. HE'D NEVER TOUCH A _LADY_! WELL, I GUESS I'M NOT A LADY, THEN! YOU WANNA KNOW WHY HE NEVER TOUCHED YOU?! BECAUSE HE WAS OUT HERE IN THIS VERY ROOM EVERY SINGLE NIGHT FUCKING ME! EVERY NIGHT! I'D SIT HERE ALL DAY IN THE DARK WAITING FOR HIM TO DECIDE TO COME AMUSE HIMSELF WITH ME! "_DANCE FOR ME._" THAT'S WHAT HE'D ALWAYS SAY!" Rose shrieked, standing up and approaching the woman. Her usually beautiful eyes were hard, the black flecks in her eyes overtaking the green as her anger grew. The woman began to protest, but Rose cut her off.

"JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DON'T GIVE 2 SHITS WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY! ANY OF YOU! I SAT IN THIS ROOM FOR 7 YEARS OF MY LIFE! 7 YEARS THAT I'M NEVER GETTING BACK! I DIDN'T LEAVE THIS ROOM AT ALL FOR 7 YEARS!" Rose sank to her knees, her face in her hands as sobs overtook her. Prentiss' arms were around the girl in seconds.

"GET OFF ME!" Rose screamed again.

"I hate you. I HATE YOU! You act like you care about me, but you fucking don't! You don't know anything!" She continued, sobbing again.

"Then let me. Let me know you..." Prentiss whispered, taken aback by the girl's sudden anger.

"Yes, Rosie. Let her know you." a voice from under the stairs spoke.

"...no." Rose whimpered, backing herself away from the stairs. "Please, god no..." a man rose from the shadows and stepped in to the circle of light the single hanging bulb produced.

"Patrick?" the woman in the corner asked.

"Quiet, Nancy!" he hissed, advancing on the girl.

"Emily... I'm sorry... please... don't let him..." Rose sobbed, curling herself into a ball. Before any of them knew what was happening, a single gunshot rang out and the man stumbled forward before falling. Emily tossed her gun to Reid before kneeling beside Rose.

"It's okay..." she soothed the girl, sitting beside her and comforting her.

"Thanks..." Rose sniffled, not eager to move away form the woman's warm embrace.


	7. Chess

**A/N: HI GUYS! I'M BACK! Yay! So I'm back. Haha yea. I missed you all bunches. Here's a new chapter. After you read it, go to AllyJ39's profile and read her stuff! Including the fic we are cowriting!**

I'm so sorry, Emily..." Rose continued to sob.

"Stop apologizing? Please? I deserved all of what you said." the two females sat in the back of one of the SUV's with Morgan and Reid in the front. Prentiss sat against the window as Rose laid in the seat with her head in the agent's lap. Prentiss smoothed the young girl's dark hair out of her eyes, smiling at her.

"Emily? I...is the case over?"

"Yes." Prentiss' smile widened as she told the girl this. The look of sorrow which filled the girl's eyes was more than enough to wipe the smile off her face.

"I don't want it to be over..." Rose whispered.

"What? Why?" Emily spoke quietly, sensing Rose wanted this conversation to stay between the two of them.

"I...I'm not ready to go back..." Rose's voice was small, afraid.

"Oh..." Prentiss looked out the window, mulling over this new information.

* * *

"Hotch...can I talk to you for a moment?" Prentiss asked, standing in the doorway of her boss' hotel room. She'd left Rose asleep in her room across the hall and crept out.

"Of course, is something wrong Emily?" Hotch asked, worry creasing his brow. He moved aside so she could step inside.

"It...it's Rose. What...what would be involved in...say if I didn't want to send her back to an orphanage?" Prentiss stuttered.

"Uhm...well, our power to hold her runs out in the morning when we leave. So, you'd have to legally adopt her on your own." Hotch informed her, gauging the agent's reaction.

"Oh...and how long would that take?"

"For a normal person? Probably over a year. For you? If you pulled the right strings I'd say you could take her home with you."

"Hotch...are you serious?" Emily tried to keep the hope out of her voice.

"Yes. You work for the US government, Emily. Your mother is an international ambassador. I'm your boss. If you'd like, I could get a recommendation from Strauss before I turn in and we can fill paperwork out now and I can submit it for you?"

"That would be wonderful, Hotch. Thank you." Emily perched on the edge of his bed as he pulled out his laptop.

"Name?" he asked her.

"Emily Prentiss." she laughed at his formality.

"Age?"

"42..." Hotch smiled slightly at her hesitancy.

"Getting old, huh?" he teased.

"Next question?"

"Of course. Occupation?" Hotch returned to his screen.

"Does psychopath wrangler work?"

"No. But Criminal Profiler does." he laughed as they continued to fill out the form.

"Thanks again, Hotch." Prentiss called, walking across the hallway and unlocking the door.

* * *

"Emily?" Rose's voice was barely audible. She was sitting up in bed, her knees pulled up against her chest.

"It's me. Everything's fine." Prentiss slid into bed next to the girl and motioned for her to lay down.

"Is everything okay?" the agent continued, seeing the girl's hesitancy to lay down.

"Can we talk?" Rose wondered, readjusting to face Prentiss.

"Of course. What do you want to talk about?"

"You."

"Oh..." Prentiss hesitated.

"We...we don't have to." Rose quickly corrected herself.

"No, it's okay. What do you want to know?"

"Uhm...am I allowed to know about when you were a kid?" Rose wondered, settling in for a story.

"Sure... My mom worked overseas as an ambassador. I didn't really see her very often. We moved around a lot, so friends weren't something I had a lot of."

"Oh...that's...different." Rose commented.

"Yep..." Prentiss commented, clearly uncomfortable.

"What were you like?"

"That's debatable... if you were to ask my mother I was a smartass. My father woukd tell you I was brilliant, but outspoken."

"I'm not asking them... I'm asking you." Rose pulled herself up on one arm to see Emily better. She saw her smile, a genuine smile.

"I'd say I tried too hard to please everyone.." Prentiss decided.

"I get that... well, sorta." Rose shrugged.

"How so?"

"I don't know. Guess I don't." Rose said quickly.

"Did you hurt yourself making that turn?" Prentiss joked. "You could've just said you don't want to talk about it."

"I don't want to talk about it?" Rose said. It was more of a question than a statement. Prentiss nodded. The two were quiet for a while - not quite asleep, not quite awake.

"I don't want to go back to my orphanage." Rose spoke at last.

"Okay."

"I have to, don't I?" Rose sighed the question.

"No."

"I don't?"

"No." Emily smiled at the girl, who was still trying to understand.

"I don't have to go back?" She asked again. Prentiss laughed before answering.

"Not if you don't want to."

"Oh...where am I supposed to go?" Rose sat up, folding her legs under her and facing the agent.

"Well...I suppose you could go to a different orphanage... or you could come with me."

"With you?" Rose asked, unable to keep the incredulity from her voice.

"If you'd like."

"I would. I like you, Emily. For the most part." Rose added, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"If I wasn't so exhausted from saving you, I'd kick your ass. You know that?" Prentiss asked.

"Yup." Rose laughed as the agent yawned.

"G'night, Em." Rose smiled and rolled over.

* * *

"Checkmate." Reid smiled at Emily's shocked face. They were on a plane to Quantico. Hotch sat by Rose - a seat between them - watching Emily lose pitifully to Reid. JJ slept nearby while Morgan and Rossi made small talk towards the back of the plane.

"Can I try?" Rose spoke up.

"Sure." Emily stood and traded seats with the girl.

"I've never played before...be nice?" Rose giggled at Reid. He smiled and winked at the girl. JJ, stirred by the musical chairs moved next to Emily to watch. Rose thought for a minute before moving a knight. Emily laid her across JJ's shoulders as the blonde lay against her side. Hotch watched unemotional.

"It's your turn." Reid reminded, causing Rose to snap back go attention.

"Right. Sorry." A simple pawn was moved.

"Uh oh!" Morgan laughed, moving to stand behind the girl's chair while Rossi sat between Prentiss and Hotch. Reid's face was drawn in concentration.

"Take his rook." Morgan leaned down and whispered in the girl's ear.

"Hey! No cheating!" Reid threw his pencil at Morgan. No one noticed the girl's gasp as she withdrew against the wall of the plane, eyes clenched shut.

* * *

_It's all a game of chess, Rosie. You're just a pawn. I'm not the king. I'm not in charge. Your father...he's the king. And he had a queen. You remember Lauren? She came to your birthday party when you were little. She's the queen. But she's been captured by the opponent. Do you know how to save your queen? You trade a pawn. You take the pawn to the end of the board and make the trade. Your father wants you to be the special pawn, Rosie._

* * *

"Rose?" Prentiss' voice brought her back from the memory.

"Rose!" It was JJ this time. A hand on her leg shook her gently.

"Rosaline." Emily shook her.

"Yes?" Rose answered, her eyes fluttering open. She recoiled from Reid's hand on her leg.

"What's wrong?" Prentiss sat on the arm of Rose's seat.

"N-nothing. I just... I just dozed off." Rose's eyes locked onto the edge of the clover on Emily's chest. Her shirt had slipped a few inches. Realizing this, Prentiss pulled her shirt up before moving back to her seat.

"Well...not that this isn't intriguing and all, but I've decided we could all use a vacation." Rossi spoke up.

"Oh? And are going to be clearing that with Strauss?" Hotch laughed.

"Yes. We are all spending a week in Malibu. No excuses." Rossi declared, walking off to call their superviser.

"That means you, Emily. You're coming, even if I have to abduct you. Same for you, Rose." He called over his shoulder, just as Emily had begun to open her mouth to protest.


	8. Malibu

"...and then we can get mani/pedi's!" Garcia chirped from the front seat of the black SUV. Rose smiled to herself, leaning her forehead against the cold window. She drew her knees into her chess, looking through the rain splattered glass.

"Pen, don't you think she'd, oh I don't know, like to maybe go to the beach?" JJ laughed from beside her. Emily chuckled quietly from the driver's seat, her fingers drumming impatiently on the wheel.

"We're here!" Garcia shrieked, clapping her hands. A massive house loomed before them and Rose felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She'd come back to Quantico with the BAU team yesterday morning and they'd packed to leave first thing this morning. She was going to be held captive in this house with them for the next week...

"So, Em. Do you think it'd be cool if I took Rose shopping? She doesn't have anything..." JJ asked.

"If she'd like." Prentiss nodded, throwing her bag over her shoulder. Rose nodded as well.

"Yay!" Garcia squealed, throwing her arms around the small girl. Rose writhed away from the woman and backed away, eyes wide.

"Pen, I was kinda looking forward to spending some alone time with her..." JJ hinted.

"Oh... okay." Garcia nodded, rushing off to find Morgan.

* * *

"So do we get to see what you guys got?" Emily asked, sitting next to Reid on the couch.

"Yes!" JJ smiled, ushering the girl upstairs.

"Uh...JJ? Can I...can I dress myself?" Rose stammered, stopping outside her and Prentiss' room.

"Sure, sweetie. I'll wait here." Rose slipped inside without another word and dropped the bags on the chair by the window. She tugged on a pair of tight jeans, still fumbling to button them for a minute. Finally, she secured the jeans and slid a tight black blouse over her head. It cinched at her waist and flared slightly below.

"How's this?" Rose asked, stepping back into the hallway.

"Awesome! Mind if I do your hair up really quick?" JJ wondered. Rose nodded, and walked slowly to the bathroom, balancing on the small black heels. JJ's fingers combed through the girl's short brown hair as she perched on the toilet lid.

"Your hair's kinda short, honey... I figured it would be longer..." JJ said. The rest of the sentence was implied: _especially after being held for that long._

"He cut it. Said that it would make Lauren like me more." Rose said absentmindedly.

"Who's Lauren?" JJ asked, braiding two strands of hair on the sides of the girl's head and pulling them into a small ponytail at the back of her head.

"Oh. I, uh... I'm not really sure." Rose murmured, reaching up to touch her hair. JJ bent down and carefully applied eyeliner to the girl's eyes and helped her put on mascara.

"You look great. Not let's go show them!" JJ laughed, wrapping an arm around the girl's waist and tugging her towards the stairs.

"Uhm, JJ..." Rose whimpered, sliding out of her grip.

"Right. Sorry." JJ nodded and walked ahead of her to the living room.

"Pay attention!" JJ chided to her team as Rose entered the room.

"Whoa!" Morgan exclaimed, letting out a whistle. Rose blushed and JJ took her hand and spun her in a circle.

"What do you think, Emily?" Rose asked quietly, noticing the brunette's silence.

"Sei bellissima, Rose." Prentiss smiled.

"Is English really so much to ask?" Morgan asked, jabbing a finger at her rib cage.

"You look beautiful, Rose." Rossi corrected her. The girl blushed, looking at the floor.

"Next outfit please!" Garcia encouraged.

* * *

"Come play, Rosie!" Jack Hotchner yelled from across the white sand. Rose -in a simple one piece bathing suit, the black fabric covering only the majority of the clover on her chest - took off running after the boy, chasing him into the foaming surf. Emily spotted Hotch sitting in the sand nearby, training his usual suit and tie for a pair of maroon swim shorts and a white t-shirt.

"I don't think I've ever seen you out of Kevlar and dress pants." Hotch teased as Emily dropped onto the sand next to him in a black bikini (which to Rose's envy hid the entirety of the burn on her chest) and a see-through coverup tied around her waist.

"Is this a bad thing?" Prentiss asked.

"whoaaaaaa!" Garcia's whistle saved Hotch from having to answer.

"Who knew...Prentiss is hot!" Morgan laughed, joining them in the sand. Garcia wore a floral bathing suit and went to watch Rose and Jack.

"So...what's your number?" Morgan teased Emily lightly.

"1-800-I'm-Out-Of-Your-League" she replied, chuckling lightly.

"Who's out of who's league?" JJ asked, spreading a towel in the sand in front of them with Rossi and Reid.

"Morgan's just discovered I am - in fact - a woman." Emily explained.

"We'll, technically you could've been a man. With modern science, you could've received breast implants and taken hormone supplements." Reid piped up, putting sunscreen on his pale arms.

"I was kidding, Reid. I'm pretty certain body parts - or lack thereof - determines me as female. And before you say it my pants are tight enough that you would know if I had anything extra." Emily replied indignantly.

"Spence, I think you just suggested she has a penis." JJ laughed, adjusting her green bikini which had slid down slightly. The team sat around laughing, enjoying their time off.

"DADDY!" Jack's scream interrupted their laughter as the boy tore towards them. Hotch jogged towards him.

"Daddy! Rosie - we - were - getting - shells -and - and - she - went - under - to - to - get - one - and - she - hasn't - come - up!" Jack gasped between breaths.

"Ohgodno." Prentiss begged, sprinting towards the water with Morgan and JJ close behind her. Hitch left Jack with Rossi before he and Reid followed.


	9. I Met You

**A/N: Hey guys. So this chapter is a lot shorter than usual, but I've had a really rough few days and I just couldn't get through an entire chapter. I'm so so sorry, but I really wanted to get something out to you guys tonight. So hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. Review please!**

Rose sat on the sand, her arms wrapped around her knees. She watched the flames of their campfire flickering up into the darkness.

"You feeling okay?" Hotch inquired, spreading a towel over the girl's shoulders. Rose nodded.

"So I take it you're not talking anymore?" he pressed.

"I'm talking. Just tired." she shrugged as the older agent sat beside her.

"What's the tattoo on your chest, Rose?" he whispered quietly, making sure no one else could hear him. Rose glanced around at the other agents to make sure no one was listening: Prentiss sat with Morgan and Garcia, the three of them laughing and joking; JJ sat with Reid, listening to him ramble on about something; Rossi and Jack were roasting marshmallows over the fire.

"My dad gave it to me."

"Your dad gave you a tattoo?" Hotch questioned, his eyebrow raising.

"Sorta." Rose shrugged, pulling the towel around her shoulders.

"Alright. I can see you don't want to talk about this." he sighed. She nodded.

"What happened earlier today, Rose?" Hotch asked finally, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them.

"If I tell you can I rest for a while?" she whimpered, moving away from the man.

"Rose, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know what happened."

"I know. You didn't answer me, though..."

"Yes. I'll let you rest." He gave her a small smile, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.

"You should smile more... You don't look as scary." Rose laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind." Hotch prompted.

"I was just getting a shell for Jack. He pointed it out and tried to get it and couldn't. So I dove under to get it. That's all." she shrugged.

"You just dove under and stayed under for that long?"

"The water moved the shell around so I swam after it. I didn't mean to scare Jack." she whispered.

"Where'd you learn to swim that way?"

"It wasn't exactly swimming. But my dad taught me. You just kinda go with the water. If you fight it... that's when bad things happen." she explained.

"I've never thought of that...But, I thought you were an orphan, Rose..."

"I am. Now."

* * *

"So Rose, tell us about yourself!" Rossi invited, passing a glass of wine to JJ.

"Uhm...what do you want to know?" the young girl responded, pulling her knees into her chest and laying back against the sofa cushion.

"Well...your life. When you were younger." Reid clarified, sipping his diet coke.

"Uhm... I lived in an orphanage my whole life." Rose shrugged.

"I thought you mentioned your dad earlier?" Hotch pressed.

"Yea. Just because I lived in an orphanage doesn't mean I don't got parents. Just got parents that don't want me." Rose answered gruffly. Sensing the girl was uncomfortable, Prentiss moved beside the girl and slid her arm around her.

"Hon...usually when your parents put you in an orphanage you don't see them again..." JJ said softly.

"I only saw him once. He took me out for a day." Rose shrugged.

"That's odd..." Reid hummed.

"Uhm...when did you see him?" Rossi wondered.

"It was a few days before...you know." a blush spread across Rose's cheeks as she sank back farther into the cushions, wishing she could disappear.

"Hey... it's fine, okay?" Emily whispered into the girl's ear, brushing the short brown hair away from Rose's face.

"I know." Rose relaxed slightly, feeling Prentiss' cool touch.

"What did you do with him?" Reid suddenly blurted out.

"Spence!" JJ hissed under her breath.

"It's okay. He took me to lunch and we talked and then we went to the beach. Then we talked some more and he gave me something and took me back." Rose gave Reid a half smile.

"Oh. What did you talk about?" Morgan spoke up this time.

"Chess... he talked a lot about chess. He told me about how all the pieces of one army were marked the same way to identify each other." Rose explained, looking purposefully at Emily.

"That's interesting..." Reid said.

"Yea. And he told me about his girlfriend. He said he loved her and that he was gonna marry her then I could come home." Rose smiled a little.

"That's kinda an odd thing to tell a little kid." the boy genius remarked.

"He said she came to my birthday party with him when I was little, but I don't remember her. But he said I would know her when I saw her. And I did. I met her and I knew who she was." Rose smiled.

"You met her?" Emily asked, unable to keep the astonishment from her voice.

"Yea. I met you, Lauren." Rose said, monotonous. As she spoke, she reached up and moved the collar of Prentiss' shirt to the side to reveal the clover burned into her skin. With her other hand, Rose moved her own collar aside and touched her own burn.


	10. A Friend

**A/N: Hey, guys! This is just kinda a fluff chapter, but I've got one more thing up my sleeve before it's over. So thanks so so so much for all the reviews! If you have anything you want me to try to include, just tell me! And if you have a suggestion for a new fic, let me know! This one is nearing the end! Just thought I'd let you know that I am going to rework my other fic that I finished before this one. I was going through a rough time when I wrote it and I'm really just not happy with how it turned out. So I'm gonna kinda rewrite it. You should read the version that's up now and then tell me if you like the new version. ALSO! I am cowriting a fic with AllyJ39 called Criminal Minds: Crime & Punishment. You should go check it out! AND all of AllyJ's fics! They're great. And yes, this is a shameless plug for her. She's an incredible writer. :)**

"Emily... what's she talking about?" JJ asked, breaking the silence that had settled

"I... I've got no idea. Rose, I think maybe you need some rest..." Prentiss stammered, moving back from the girl's touch.

"Sure. I'm going inside." Rose said curtly, standing up and turning back to the house.

"Wait..." Reid spoke this time, concern obvious in his voice.

"Not now, Spencer... She makes me sick. I need some air." Rose spat, storming away. Emily sat still, reeling in shock. She felt JJ's arms go around her, but couldn't make her body react.

* * *

"Hey, kiddo." Reid whispered, pushing the door to the girl's room open a few inches.

"Go away." she mumbled, her face buried in a pillow. Reid slipped inside, closing the door behind him before perching on the edge of the girl's bed.

"Can I please stay? I won't make you talk." Reid assured her.

"'s whatever." she said, her voice muffled by the pillow. The boy genius moved up so he leaned against the headboard, parallel to the small girl.

"Can you not hit me?" Reid chuckled, cautiously sliding his arm around the girl and pulling her into his side. She lay there for a moment, silence settling between them.

"I like you, Spencer..." Rose murmured. Feeling the man beside her stiffen she was quick to correct herself:

"No! Not like that... ewwww!" she raised her head to poke her tongue out at him.

"So like what then?"

"I don't know... Just as a person. You don't try to force me to talk. It's natural with you. We can just sit in silence and it isn't awkward. It's nice." she explained, resting against his shoulder.

"Oh."

"You think she's still mad?" Rose took a hard left turn from their conversation.

"I don't think she ever was mad, Rose." Reid sighed, rubbing the small girl's arm. She needed to gain weight...

"I guess... But it would sure make me feel better if she was..." she sighed.

"Why?" Reid cocked an eyebrow and looked down at the girl.

"Because... it would make my storming off seem not as bad."

"Oh." Reid knew she was talking of her own accord and felt no need to press her with questions.

"I just...she killed my dad, Spencer! And... I went through all of everything because of her. The guy who had me.. he knew my dad. And he said my dad wanted him to train me to be obedient. So that one day I could fine Lauren and make everything right. It's like chess... you trade the pawn for the queen." Rose was crying now, too tired to care. As her small frame shook as sobs wracked through her, Reid stayed silent, soothing the girl as best he could.

"And...she just acted like it was nothing... like I was crazy. I'm not crazy, Spencer. She's Lauren." the girl continued after a moment of silence.

"I know she is." Reid spoke at last.

"You do?"

"Mhm. She worked undercover for a while before she came here. Her new identity was Lauren. And she dated a man to get information out of him...but he fell hard for her. She doesn't like talking about it." he explained.

"Oh. Spencer? Do you think we could talk about this later?" Rose wondered, yawning.

"Of course. Get some sleep, kid." he brushed her hair away from her face and smiled as she fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"I knew she had some connection to Doyle, but I had no idea she was his kid!" Emily hissed quietly.

"Prentiss." Hotch stated, trying to calm the woman down.

"You're right... I should've known better." Prentiss dropped her face into her hands and sighed shakily.

"I should've never gotten involved. She saw the mark that first day at the hospital and from then on she acted differently toward's me. It was almost instantaneous..." Emily sighed. She felt hands on her shoulders and relaxed slightly as they pressed against her taut shoulder muscles.

"Thanks, Jayje-" the brunette began.

"It's not me, Em." JJ laughed, cutting Emily off.

"I can go back to the orphanage, Emily. It's okay. You don't have to keep me." Rose stated, unable to keep the hurt from her voice. She girl pulled her hands away from Prentiss and turned towards the stairs.

"Wait! Rose..." Prentiss jolted up and grabbed the girl's arm.

"Please don't do that..." the girl whimpered, blinking back tears in her wide eyes.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." Emily sighed.

"It's okay. I'll stay if you want." Rose smiled, sliding onto the arm of the couch beside the agent.

"Please." Emily pleaded into her own hands.

"Alrighty, then! Sounds like you're stuck with me." Rose rubbed her palm across the woman's back, unsure of how to cheer her up.

"I'm so sorry, Rose-" Prentiss tried to speak.

"Ah! No. There's nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry. You don't make me sick. I just... I don't know. Forgive me?" Rose wondered aloud.

"You were forgiven before you said it."

"Thanks, Em." Much to the shock of everyone, Rose leaned down and pressed a small kiss against the pale temple of her new parent.

**A/N: So I've gotten to be really great friends with the review button and he told me that he doesn't think anybody loves him. So... CLICK! Show the love! And after that, head on over to AllyJ39's page and read our fic and her fics! Why are you still reading my stupid babbling A/N?! Go to her page. Like now. Go. Stop reading this and go. **


	11. A New Beginning

**A/N: I now present to you another fluff chapter! This is a lead up chapter and I will probably post again tonight, so don't hate me for it being shorter than usual.**

"Perfect." Rose smiled as Derek Morgan secured a picture into place on the wall of what was now her new room. Emily had emptied her home office and created a bedroom for Rose. The walls were a dark purple, almost grey. A dark mahogany 4-poster stood in the corner of the room, angled diagonally out into the room. A matching nightstand and dresser were the only other furniture in the room, except for one thing: one entire wall was occupied by bookshelves, except for a small window and a seat beneath it.

"Emily...thank you." Rose grinned, throwing her arms around the FBI agent. The woman stiffened at first before returning the hug, smoothing the girl's now shoulder length brown hair. Morgan cleared his throat, drawing a chuckle out of Reid and JJ who stood in the doorway.

"I helped quite a lot, you know!" he snorted indignantly, holding his arms out for a hug he had no doubt would be denied. Much to Morgan's surprise, Rose cautiously stepped into his embrace. His eyes widened as he gaped at Prentiss, silently asking her if he was imagining this.

* * *

"Emily? When can I go to school?" Rose inquired later that night, absentmindedly twirling her fork in her spaghetti.

"You want to go to school?" Emily asked her, carrying her own plate to the sink. Rose began to follow suit, but Prentiss stopped her:

"Ah! Finish eating first."

"I want to go to school, Emily..." Rose sighed, taking a reluctant bite.

"You know it'll be difficult... you're pretty far behind..."

"I know! And sitting around here isn't going to catch me up!" Rose begged.

"Alright, alright. I give. I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble. That's all." Emily held her hands up in surrender.

"Keep me out of trouble? What do you think I'm gonna do? Punch somebody?" Rose laughed, shoving the last of her spaghetti into her mouth before carrying her plate to the sink.

"I'm not sure... just a gut feeling." Emily shrugged, washing Rose's plate as Rose dried the dishes Emily had already washed.

"...I'm not him, you know. I'm not my dad." Rose whispered after a while, beginning to put the plates away.

"I know you aren't." Emily said sympathetically, hearing the undeniable hurt in the girl's voice.

"He taught me how to be like him. But I'm not him, Emily. I'm Rose. I'm me." the girl sighed shakily, setting out a glass for Emily. She knew the woman enjoyed drinking a glass of wine after dinner.

"I know, Rose." Emily said again, moving to wrap her arms around the still skinny girl. Rose stiffened at the touch, but eventually relaxed when Emily didn't release her.

"Can I please go?" Rose whimpered quietly.

"Yes. I'll see what I can do. When do you want to start?" Emily asked, drawing away and pulling her laptop from her bag by the table.

"As soon as I can... tomorrow even." Rose shrugged, heading for the door. "Do you mind if I go ahead and shower?"

"No. Go ahead."

* * *

"I have to work tomorrow, but it's Reid's day off. He offered to take you shopping for books and clothes. You start school Monday." Emily informed the girl as she padded into the living room in a pair of spandex shorts and a big floppy t-shirt of Morgan's.

"Thanks, Em!" Rose squealed, running over and hugging the woman. She quickly straightened herself back, realizing what she was doing.

"It's fine, Rose." Prentiss laughed, leaning back against the couch cushions and taking a sip of her wine. Rose laid on the couch, her back against Emily. The two watched an old black and white movie for a while until Rose dozed off. Setting her wine glass aside, Prentiss swiftly scooped up the sleeping girl and carried her to her room. She noticed how light the girl was and knew she couldn't weigh more than 80 pounds. She tucked the small girl into bed and placed a small kiss on her forehead before closing the door and heading up to her own bedroom.

"Oh Kurt, how I've missed you." the agent laughed to herself, pulling a Kurt Vonnegut book from her nightstand. She laid in bed reading late into the night, becoming entranced in the words scrawled across the page.

"...Emily?" the voice was small and barely audible. Looking up from her book, she spied Rose in the doorway, her eyes red and puffy.

"Rose! What's wrong?" Emily rose quickly and rushed to the girl.

"It...it was just a nightmare." Rose whimpered, holding back more tears.

"Do you want to sleep in here?" Prentiss asked, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders. She nodded slightly. Rose allowed herself to be led to Emily's bed and crawled under the covers, quickly comforted by the warmth they had to offer.

"Wanna talk about it?" Emily marked her place and laid her book back on the nightstand before laying under the comforter next to Rose.

"Not really..."

"That's alright. Get some sleep, kid." Emily offered a smile and watched as the girl's eyes quickly fluttered closed.


	12. It's Perfect

**A/N: Hi guys! So this is the last official chapter! I'm gonna write an epilogue tomorrow, though! I decided not to include my last big surprise because it just didn't flow like I wanted (and flowing is important! Lol). So... I'm actually kinda sad because you guys have stopped reviewing and I'm wondering if my writing is bad or something. So... please review? Even if it's negative? I want to improve but I can't if you guys don't review.**

"Do you have a list of books you'll need?" Reid asked, walking through the old bookstore with Rose.

"Yes. Uhm...do you think it would maybe be okay if we got used books?" Rose wondered, her eyes wandering to the separate area with cracked spine books, their pages littered with comments and doodles.

"I guess so. Why?" He inquired, walking with her to peruse the old books.

"Cheaper. They're all so expensive. It's kinda dumb to pay over $100 on a book when you can get the same thing right here for like $20. And you get the addition of free help!" she laughed, picking up one of the books that matched her list and thumbing through it. The agent and the girl wandered through the aisles of abused books, picking the one's that both matched her list and passed her written note inspection. After over an hour, Spencer closed the trunk of his car, a good 20 lbs of books inside.

"I believe I am to take you clothes shopping?" he asked, sliding behind the wheel.

"That's okay. I have enough from JJ taking me." Rose laughed at his relief.

* * *

Rose set her books down and slipped into the chair, keeping her eyes down. She was the new girl and everyone had been sure to let her know it. Opening her notebook, she turned to a fresh page as the teacher began to lecture. School was a lot harder than she'd thought...

"Hey." the guy beside her whispered.

"Hi." Rose looked over at him as he flipped his blonde hair back and smiled at her.

"You're Rosie, right?" he asked, his blue eyes looking her up and down.

"Rose." she corrected him.

"Right. Rose. Well, I'm Darron." he introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you..." Rose replied shyly, still taking periodic notes.

"Wanna hang out after school? I can show you around. Word is you're family's new here." he continued.

"Uh, sure. But my family's not new. Just me." she corrected again.

"Right. Meet me outside after last bell?"

"Mk." she shrugged, masking her excitement well.

* * *

"Hey, Doyle. Thought you weren't gonna show." Darron laughed, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as he got up from his seat on the concrete barrier.

"Rose. And why wouldn't I?"

"You love to correct me, don't you?" the boy smiled, walking down the street, expecting her to follow.

"No... I just don't like my last name. I'm changing it." she shrugged, falling into step beside him.

"Oh? And your parent's are cool with it?"

"Well, probably not. But Emily is." Rose answered after a while.

"Who's Emily?"

"She's my adopted parent. My dad's dead. Not sure about my mom." she said nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry." he said quietly.

"No big deal. So where are we going?" Rose changed the subject quickly.

"There's this coffee place nearby. It's awesome." Darron replied, tossing an arm around her shoulders. She stiffened under his touch.

"This isn't a date, Rose. I'm just a nice guy. I have a girlfriend."

"I know it isn't. I'm just not used to people touching me." she shrugged, trying to make herself relax under his arm. The two walked in silence for a while before Darron led her into a small section of a long old building. It smelt of pumpkin and was nearly empty.

"Two Caramel Macchiato's. An extra shot of espresso in one please." Darron ordered, paying and leading her to a couch in the corner.

"So tell me about yourself, New Girl." He smiled, taking a sip of his drink.

"Uhm... I lived in an orphanage my whole life. That's about it." Rose replied quickly, uncomfortable.

"Alright... Sports?"

"Nope. You?"

"Football. You should come to a game sometime, Rose."

"I will." Rose smiled and pulled her knees up and took another sip of her coffee.

"Music?"

"I've always wanted to, but no."

"Oh. I'd better get you home, New Girl." Darron decided, holding his hand out for her and leading her out of the cafe.

* * *

"Do you wanna come in?" Rose offered.

"Sure. Emily home?"

"Not sure... She has funky hours." Rose shrugged and unlocked the door.

"Em?" she called, closing the door behind them.

"Kitchen!" Emily's voice came back. Rose rolled her eyes. She was always in the kitchen. Being in the kitchen meant she was filling out paperwork.

"Uh, hey." Rose cleared her throat from the doorway as she and Darron crossed the livingroom.

"Hey. Uh...hello?" Emily raised her eyebrow at Rose.

"This is Darron. We have Math together. She showed me this coffee place after school and walked me home." Rose explained. Darron smiled and crossed the room to shake Emily's hand.

"You've got a really sweet girl here." he replied before turning back to Rose. "I'd better get going. See you tomorrow?"

"Mhm." Rose nodded, showing him out.

"I told you the boys would be all over you." Emily laughed.

"You did?"

"Yea. The first day I met you." Emily reminded the girl.

"Right. But he's just a friend." Rose assured the woman.

"Ah. Well, how was it?"

"Rough. But I'm sure it'll get better. Besides, Reid's offered to tutor me if I need help." Rose smiled, dropping into a chair beside her new mother.

"That's nice of him." Emily said absentmindedly.

"Mhm. But... Em? I really can't complain. I could never have hoped for this in my wildest dreams... I have a family. And a home. And a friend. It's perfect." Rose whispered, resting her head on the table. Emily couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face.

"And besides... I don't have to worry about being hurt anymore. I've got you. And... it seems like you just shoot anyone who threatens me." Rose chuckled.

"Yea... I got in a lot of heat over that... I distinctly remember Hotch groaning at me 'Prentiss, you CANNOT just go around shooting your problems!'"


	13. Epilogue

**A/N: So this is it, I guess! I've received a request to write a Prentiss and Reid romance... what do you guys think? PM me your thoughts! And I'm looking forward to the Reviews I'm sure you are all going to write! Lol. I hope you guys like this little ending that really isn't so little... XOXO, EmilyJade**

"It shouldn't matter who came before you. All that matters is you. And you have the power to change. Don't follow the traveled path because it's 'easy' or because it's what other people want. Don't follow the path less traveled. Create your own path. Do something no one else has the courage to do! Just because your parents couldn't doesn't mean you can't! I've been in your shoes. I know what it's like to have the people who matter most not support you. I know what it's like for them to be there. I've felt worthless. I've felt like I was just another cycle. But I'm wasn't. And you're not. You can break the cycle. You can do something incredible! Dream big. And live big. And let every person who says you can't be your motivation. Prove them wrong."

* * *

_"I got accepted!" Rose shrieked, tackling Emily Prentiss in a hug. She held a college acceptance letter in her hands: Yale. The dark haired woman embraced the girl, a smile cracking across her face._

* * *

"Stop living to please other people! Please yourself. You're the one who's going to have to live with your decisions. Not them. When you wake up and look in the mirror, who do you see? Do you see you? Or who everyone wants you to be? You're in charge of your own destiny. It isn't set in stone! You have the power to rewrite your story. Have the courage to do what your parents couldn't."

* * *

_Rosaline Prentiss folded her last pair of jeans and tucked them into the suitcase on her bed. The walls of her dorm were bare, her entire life being held in the 3 suitcases on her bed. _

_"Rose! Can I come in?" a voice from outside the door._

_"It's open."_

_"I can't believe you're really going to do this." the blonde girl flung herself down next to Rose's suitcases._

_"Al, it's what I need to do. I don't belong here. I... I've got to do something with my life." The brunette shrugged, zipping the last suitcase._

_"Does your mom know?" Al laid her hand on her friend's arm._

_"Emily? No. She doesn't know. She'd only try to stop me." Rose lowered herself onto the bed with an exhausted sigh._

_"So?"_

_"So I'm not sure I could fight with her."_

* * *

"We've all been through hard times. And those only make you stronger! The scars you hold are evidence of how incredibly strong you are. Don't hide them. Embrace them! I spent my childhood running from who I was. I was the daughter of a serial killer. But then I realized something - I'm not my father. I'm Rosaline. I'm my own person! And I can be who I want. I don't have to follow in my father's footsteps."

* * *

_Emily Prentiss stood in an empty dorm room along with Spencer Reid and Jennifer Jureau. _

_"Rose... what've you done..." JJ was the first to speak, breaking their silence._

* * *

"You know what that's like - to have parents you're not proud of. And because of that, you have the power to change things. But you can't do it alone. I can't do it alone. We have to do it together. But we have to believe that we can be different. We have all the makings to be our parents. But there's one difference between us and our parents. They wanted to."

* * *

_"Uh... my raven haired beauty? I think I've got something you'd like to see." Garcia chirped quietly, keeping her voice low enough that only Prentiss could hear her._

_"What is it, Pen?" Emily Prentiss closed the file on her desk and shook her dark hair out of her eyes. Garcia laid a flyer on the woman's desk._

**Children with Power: You Are Not Your Parents**

**Monday, October 21, 2019**

**Rosaline Prentiss**

**3:00pm **

**FedEx Field**

_"What...?" Emily's eyes read the flyer repeatedly, trying to comprehend._

_"It's a conference for teens that've been taken by CPS from their families. Specifically, the children of serial killers." Garcia smiled._

_"Prentiss, are you almost ready to leave? Would hate to be late..." Reid asked, sliding a file folder into his messenger bag._

_"Where're we going?"_

_"To see Rose of course!" JJ squealed, bouncing into the bullpen._

_"PENELOPE GARCIA!" Prentiss shrieked, spinning to face the tech analyst again._

_"What?! I knew if I told you first you'd never go! So I told JJ. And she decided we should all take the afternoon off and go." Garcia held her hands up in surrender._

_"You're going, Princess. Suck it up." Morgan chuckled, throwing her jacket at her._

* * *

"You did wonderful, sweetheart." the blonde man pulls Rose close to him, laughing when she mock collapses into him.

"Thanks, Darron. I... I uh..." Rose begins, struggling to find the correct words.

"You saw her too?" Blue eyes fuse with green, both knowing who they meant. Rose nodds slowly.

"I.. She probably hates me." Rose laughs bitterly.

"Only one way to find out. Go to her, sweetheart." Rose nods and turns, slipping out the door into the bustling hallway. Her eyes scan the crowd of people, looking for the familiar black hair.

"Ms. Prentiss?" a young boys voice draws her attention.

"It's Rose. What can I do for you?" She squats down, smiling at the small red haired boy. He can't be more than 10. His green eyes are full of timidity, but he swallows and puffs his chest out.

"I just want you to know that I believe you!" he announces.

"That's great. What's your name, sweetie?" Rose's eyes still scan the crowd of people.

"Ryan. Will you sign my program?"

"Sure thing, kiddo." Rose takes his pen and scrawls her name across his paper and hugs him quickly.

"Can I write to you?" Ryan inquires, his pale face spreading into a smile.

"Of course! I answer all my letters. Now I really have to go Ryan, but I'm expecting a letter." Rose winks at him and walks through the crowd of people.

"Looking for me?" Emily's voice brings her to an abrupt halt, turning on her heel. The woman she'd loved stands behind her, arms crossed over her chest. The inky black hair is beginning to lighten around her face, but there is no denying it is her.

"Hey, Emily..." Rose's voice is suddenly quiet, as she realizes she has no idea what to say to the woman who has given her so much.

"You look good, Rose." Emily's eyes take in the woman standing in front of her: the brown hair tumbles straight down her back, the green eyes are housed in black frames, square transparent lenses bringing everything into focus; her body is still very thin, hips and chest accentuating her form; a small smile graces her face.

"Thanks, Emily... so do you." Rose is still unsure of what to say when she feels a familiar pair of arms around her from behind.

"Hello, Penelope."

"Rose! Ohmygosh, you're so great! I had no idea you could do anything like that! I missed you so much!" Rose laughs as Garcia rambles on.

"Thank you. How is everything?" Rose finds speaking to Garcia easier than Emily. Garcia's chocolate eyes are much more welcoming than Emily's hard black pair.

"Well, everything is simply wonderful! Of course things sucked after you left. We all had to adapt to life without our little ray of sunshine! But Reid has a girlfriend! And JJ's married with kids! Morgan is still my sexy hunk of chocolate, Hotch is a single dad, and Emily's... well, she's Emily." Garcia laughs.

"By that I take it she still works too much and doesn't like having fun?" Rose asks, winking at the tall woman.

"Yes! Ohmygosh, you're just as funny as you were when you left!" Garcia chirps, hugging Rose again.

"Babygirl, can you share?" Morgan's voice shocks Rose.

"Oh, fine! I'm going to go find Hotch." the tech analyst huffs before the arms around Rose's waist disappear.

"Wow, kid. You grew up on us." Morgan's laugh is comforting as he throws a playful arm around Prentiss.

"Thanks?"

"It's a good thing. Though I'm quite sad I missed it." JJ's voice behind her is startling, but Rose can't help but laugh as JJ's tiny arms are around her, pinning her arms down.

"Hey, Jayje." Rose squirms an arm out to put around the blonde. "Reid, I know you're behind me."

"I figured you did." his voice is small, quiet. Rose slips out of JJ's grasp and faces the boy genius.

"Oh, Spencer..." Rose whimpers, throwing her arms around his neck at the sight of him. He looks small and fragile, causing Rose to think of how her leaving must have made him felt.

"I'm so sorry. I.. I wasn't thinking. I never meant to leave you."

"It's okay. I'm glad you did. You were really great out there." He seems content with her apology.

"What do you say we give her and Emily a few minutes?" JJ asks, noticing the two had barely spoken.

* * *

"You could've told me you were leaving. You didn't have to just cut us out of your life." Emily sat in a chair in the small cafe down the street from the stadium.

"I know. I was afraid you would try to stop me. By the time I realized how ludicrous the idea was, it was too late." Rose shrugs, wrapping her fingers around the mug of coffee in front of her. Caramel Macchiato.

"It was a ludicrous thought." Emily keeps her voice quiet, but Rose knows. Rose knows how she hurt the woman by leaving.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

"Yes. I forgave you a long time ago." Emily drinks from her mug.

"Can I be your daughter again?" Rose sounds almost childlike, her voice quiet and afraid.

"You were never not."

"Thank you."

* * *

"So, I told you guys I wanted my family back..." Rose says, looking around at the agents sitting at her dining room table.

"And we are happy to oblige." Hotch shows one of his rare smiles.

"But there's something I've been keeping from you guys... I wanted to make sure this was for real before I brought anyone else into it. Darron?" Rose raises her voice on the last word, turning towards the door. A man stands in the doorway, his blonde hair and blue eyes a dead giveaway as to his identity, yet no one is focused on him. Everyone's eyes go to the little girl in his arms.

"Emmie... can you come here?" Rose's voice changes, a hint of maternal protectiveness creeping into her tone.

"Mommy!" the girl squeals, squirming down and running over to Rose. Blonde curls bounce when around her face, long and thin. Her cheekbones are her most prominent feature behind her eyes, a shining blue.

"...Ian." Emily's voice is barely audible, though there is no doubt in the fear in her tone.

"Yes. She looks like him, doesn't she?" Rose agrees, lifting the girl into her lap.

"Who dat?" the girl - Emmie - asks.

"This is Derek Morgan. He's your uncle. I believe someone once told me that he thinks the girls love him but just to go with it." Rose winks at Prentiss, while she points Emmie's hand at Morgan.

"May I?" Morgan raises an eyebrow at Rose and holds his hands out for the girl.

"Ask her." Rose laughs.

"Do you wanna come sit with me, Emmie?" The girl giggles and scrambles over to Morgan. There is no denying, her smile is Rose's.

"Emmie, that's Aaron Hotchner. He's a really grumpy old man who doesn't smile, if I remember correctly. You'll like him." Rose laughs at the indignant look Hotch gives her.

"hi!" the girl squeals.

"That's Jennifer Jureau. You can call her JJ. She's nice." JJ offers Emmie a smile and laughs when she pokes her little tongue out at her.

"That's your grandma, Emmie. Her name's Emily Prentiss. You gotta be sure to always remind her of how old she is!" Morgan chuckles.

"You stole my name!" Emmie giggles. "It's mine! You can't have it."

"Actually, you stole her's Emmie. You're named after her." Rose explaines gently.

"Hi, Emmie. Do you think we can share the name?" Prentiss' voice is kind and Rose smiles at that voice. It's the voice that helped her find hers.

"Yeaaaaaa. I guess."

"Hi, Emmie. I'm David Rossi. I'm the one who'll sneak you candy." Rossi offers, sliding a piece of generic candy across the table from his pocket. Emmie takes it and pops it in her mouth with a grin.

"And last but not least is Spencer Reid. Resident know it all." Emily speaks up.


End file.
